Egg curry

Ingredients

• 2½ tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 10 curry leaves (see Note), plus extra fried leaves, to serve
• 3 tsp Maldive fish (see Note)
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 6 dried long red chillies (see Note)
• 600 ml coconut milk
• ½ tsp ground tumeric
• 12 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled
• steamed basmati rice, beetroot curry (see recipe page 70) and pappadums, to serve

Instructions

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pan over high heat. Add onion, curry leaves, Maldive fish, tomato and 3 chillies, and stir for 5 minutes or until onion starts to brown. Reduce heat to low and add coconut milk, 250 ml water and turmeric. Season with salt, stirring to combine. Simmer for 10 minutes or until slightly reduced. Add eggs and cook for a further 5 minutes for eggs to warm through and absorb flavours.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tsp oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add remaining 3 chillies and cook, turning occasionally, for 1 minute or until just changing colour.

Top curry with fried chillies and extra fried curry leaves. Serve with rice, beetroot curry and pappadums.

Notes

• From greengrocers and Asian food shops.

• Maldive fish are dried fish flakes, available from Sri Lankan and select Indian food shops. Grind bigger pieces with a mortar and pestle.

• Dried long red chillies are available from select supermarkets and Asian food shops.

Photography Brett Stevens